In traditional open surgery applications, X-ray imaging is often performed by relatively low-weight mobile X-ray examination apparatuses that can be positioned manually relative to a patient-support table in an operating room. Since providing X-ray images is only needed infrequently, it is useful to park the X-ray system outside of the operating area when it is not needed momentarily. In this context “park” stands for moving the X-ray apparatus fully away from the patient-support table, so that it neither disturbs the surgery nor personnel around the patient-support table.
It is a trend to replace or enhance traditional open surgery by hybrid surgical applications, wherein minimal-invasive procedures, e.g. like in interventional cardio-vascular catheterisation applications are used. For example, in a so-called AAA procedure, the abdominal aortic aneurysm is treated by the placement of multiple stents, introduced via small incisions in the patients' groin. For those procedures it is beneficial to enhance the X-ray image quality. This can be realised in using fixed X-ray examination apparatuses that often have better image quality than mobile apparatuses. Fixed X-ray apparatuses may be either floor-mounted with a stand near the patient-support table or via a ceiling-rail that is located over the patient-support table.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,751 B1 a diagnostic imaging system with a C-arm is shown, that permits the C-arm to be removably attached to different ceiling-mounted support structures and to a mobile cart for mobile C-arm imaging applications.